SOLVED!: Psychological drama/thriller about Latin class and bacchanalean revels [s]

[Fkm100]

I am seeking the title and author of a book that I read about 5 - 10 years ago. It was fairly new at the time and I think it was the author's debut novel.

It describes a young man's first year at an American university far from his home town (the area is identified, but I cannot recall it), in the course of which he joins the small and rather exclusive Latin class, gains acceptance by the other members of the class (or so he thinks) and ends up participating in the murder of one of his fellow students.

The book explains how and why the murder was committed, as well as the tragic consequences that follow.

[Anna]

Fkm100 wrote: "I am seeking the title and author of a book that I read about 5 - 10 years ago. It was fairly new at the time and I think it was the author's debut novel.

It describes a young man's first year ..."

This is The Secret History by Donna Tartt.

[Fkm100]

Many thanks, Anna - wow that was fast! And I see now that it was the Greek class, not the Latin class as I remembered.

Funny, I have read other and presumably more recent books by this author and have not enjoyed them nearly as much. I thought that this particular book had a compelling and haunting quality that I have not seen in her subsequent writing.